MSG Plus With Big Plans to Annoy Devils Fans with Islander Telecast

Hey, it’s been a while since we had something from Neil Best. Here’s his inside info on MSG Plus’ Devils-Islanders telecast:

MSG Plus was not originally scheduled to televise Wednesday night’s Devils at Islanders practice game, but the channel – which, like Newsday, is owned by Cablevision – has added it to show the home debut of John Tavares.

The festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. with a season preview show that includes an interview of Tavares conducted in Saskatoon by Billy Jaffe.

During the game itself, MSG Plus will have a camera on Tavares and will offer on-screen graphics that alert viewers to his presence on the ice.

God forbid Devils fans have to watch another team’s’broadcast of a PRESEASON game! Good grief it’s PRESEASON and Tavaras was the number one pick in the draft. Let the Islanders promote this guy to fans! Talk about homerism.

hockey’s hockey. and it’s only fair that MSG PLUS produces an Islanders preseason broadcast after doing one Devils game (well, Devils-Rangers game in NJ with a Rangers analyst taking a 3rd seat in the booth) and MSG producing every other Rangers preseason game.

that rant aside, you ever go to an Islanders preseason game? I went to one against the Devils somewhere around 1998 or 1999, and it was a ghost town that night. 100 people, maybe. quiet inside too. I’m shouting “Let’s Go Devils” from the upper level at the Colliseum and there’s players on the ice turning and looking.